‘Yes, finally, I’ve been waiting for this day.’ The librarian appears behind me. She grasps my hand with surprising strength and drags me down the steps. ‘Come on, Ribald.’

She lets go of my hand and jumps into the street. She spins in a circle, her hands stretched out, her white hair billows behind her and her clothes ruffle as she spins. The fire and ice balls halt in mid-air, change direction and charge straight at her. A purple shot of colour blinds me. I shield my eyes with my arm.

In the librarian’s place stands a seven-foot shadowy figure. Wisps of smoke surge from its body, into the air. What I presume is its head, tilts back and a menacing cackle fills my ears.

Before I can do a thing VisiAi...

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